The Revenge of Daemon
by smartbot94
Summary: Davis and Ken visit the Digital World, expecting everything to be just as it had been for the past seven years. But when they arrive, they find out that not everything is as it should be and so they set out to discover just what sort of evil is taking hold. Will Davis and Ken be able to save the Digital World again? Or will fear and feelings get in the way?


"We need to get the computer set up before anything else, okay?"

"Don't you think there are more important things to put together, such as the beds, or Koba's cage?"

Davis Motomiya and Ken Ichijouji had recently decided to get an apartment together before college started in the coming weeks. Ken had saved enough money from babysitting to pay his half of the rent and Davis had been fortunate enough to use his college's financial aid money to cover his half. Neither college student-to-be wanted to take the risk of getting a crappy roommate and thought it best to room with somebody close to them.

"Fine, we can put up that stupid bird's cage first. _Then_ can we get the computer set up?"

"Koba is _not_ stupid. Parrots happen to be extremely intelligent and have even been known to—"

"It's a stupid bird, Ken. Just leave it at that."

Ken chuckled. "You just can't let it go, can you?"

"It practically tried to eat my hand off!"

"You were also rattling her cage and squawking at her."

"Well, whatever," Davis grumbled as he started to unpack the computer monitor from the first box he had brought upstairs.

"Why are you in such a rush to get the computer set up? With your insatiable love of sleep, I would have thought that your bed would have been the first thing you'd put together."

"I want to set the computer up because I promised to go visit Veemon today and it's getting late. I don't want him to think that I forgot."

"Why is today so important, if I may ask?"

"Don't you remember?" Davis responded, incredulously.

Ken simply shrugged and started to piece together the white metal bars that made up Koba's cage.

In a slightly more demure tone than normal, Davis said, "It's the seventh anniversary of when you stopped being the Digimon Emperor."

Ken immediately stopped working on the cage as a chill ran down his spine. "Oh," was all he managed to come up with.

"It's not a bad thing, Ken," the cinnamon-haired boy said as he ran over to put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Veemon and I just thought it was a good day to pick to celebrate our old adventures."

Davis paused and mentally slapped himself. _You're so stupid, Davis. You know he is still really sensitive about the whole Digimon Emperor thing!_

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad, dude. I just…a lot changed that day, you know? It was the first time we all got to see that you had a heart and were actually human, not just some kind of Digimon-hating cretin."

Ken cringed again as a flood of memories came back to him. Over the last few years, all of the DigiDestined children had encouraged him time and time again that he was not truly at fault for his actions as the Digimon Emperor. 'It was simply the Dark Spore's evil powers controlling your mind,' Izzy had told him matter-of-factly. Kari and Yolei had attempted a more uplifting approach by telling Ken that he had to be kind and courageous to even break free of the Spore's powers.

Oddly enough, Davis had been the most instrumental in helping Ken cope with his past grievances by being the only person unwilling to talk about them. Ever since the two had bonded when Veemon and Wormmon DNA digivolved, Ken had always felt most comfortable talking with the hyperactive boy. Whenever he had tried to bring up the Digimon Emperor's actions, Davis would simply flash Ken a million-dollar smile and change the subject. 'No use crying over spilled milk,' he always said.

Every now and then, however, Ken couldn't help but feel regretful of his past. He _had_ done some pretty horrendous things to the Digimon and the DigiDestined children. He mostly kept his thoughts to himself, so as not to annoy his best friend.

"That's not what I meant either, Ken." An exasperated Davis ran his hands through his messy hair as he thought of how to reword his thoughts. "I really meant to say that that day was when I really started liking you and wanted to be your friend and help you through all of the stuff that happened back then. So Veemon and I thought it was an appropriate day to sort of celebrate all of our adventures and our friendship. I really didn't mean to make you feel bad or anything…"

Ken couldn't help but allow a slight smile to grace his lips. _He can be so…cute when he gets flustered like that._

He immediately thrust those thoughts into the farthest reaches of his mind. "Don't worry about it. I understand what you were trying to say. I'm going to get Koba from the car now. She is probably worried and scared from sitting in the car. Why don't you set up the computer so you can leave soon, all right?"

"Yeah, okay." Davis gave another huge trademark smile as he turned back to the box he had previously been tearing open.

When Ken returned a few moments later, parrot in tow, he arrived to a very frustrated-looking Davis tied up in all sorts of computer cords. He let out a light chuckle and Koba followed suit.

"Shut that bird up or we're going to be having fried chicken for dinner."

"How many times am I going to have to explain to you that she is a parrot, not a chicken?"

"Same difference," the younger boy grumbled to himself. "Will you please help me with this? I'm not good with all of this technology stuff like you are."

"You just rush yourself too much. You need to take things slower."

"TAKE IT SLOW! TAKE IT SLOW!" Koba echoed loudly as Ken put her on a perch he had brought up with him.

"I swear, I'm going to pluck that bird and eat him later."

"EAT HIM LATER! EAT HIM LATER!"

"Damn right I'm gonna eat you!" Davis yelled and attempted to stand up, only to trip over some computer cables and smash his face into the carpet. "Gah!" he yelled and slammed his fist on the floor. I just wanted to go see Veemon today, not deal with all of this crap!"

"Davy, please calm down. If you'll just stay still, I can get you untangled and help set up the computer so you can go to the Digital World, okay?"

Ken had barely started unfurling the cords when he realized the mistake he had just made. He hadn't meant to call Davis Davy; it just slipped out. An ex-girlfriend of Davis' had always affectionately called him Davy throughout the relationship and Davis had been completely against the name ever since the relationship soured.

"I am so sorry, Davis."

Ken looked up at his friend to see the beginning of a tear in his eye. Davis normally wasn't one to show emotions other than happiness and excitement, but apparently Ken had really struck a nerve with his younger friend.

"No, it's fine," Davis started. "I just wasn't expecting it is all. I haven't thought of Marina in a long time. I actually don't mind you calling me that…if_ you_ don't mind."

Davis was finally able to free his hands from the entanglement and rub the back of his neck. He wasn't sure exactly why he felt uncomfortable about telling Ken that it was okay to call him Davy. A lot of things didn't make sense to Davis when it came to his best friend. That was just something he learned to accept a long time ago.

"Oh. Okay, if you say so. Let's umm…get this computer set up."

Davis instantly reverted back to his normal self and shot Ken a bright white grin when he thought of finally being able to go see Veemon in the Digital World.

"Where does this go? Or this? What about this doohickey? Is this even part of the computer? That's a pretty light. What does it do?"

Ken took a deep breath and was relieved to finally announce that they had finished assembling the computer. "I wish you had let me do this from the start, Davis. You made it a lot more difficult than necessary."

"Oh, whatever. The point is, it's up and running now. We need to hurry up and go!"

"We? I was under the impression that today was an anniversary event for you and Veemon."

"Gosh, Ken. Why do you always have to do stuff like that? The only reason I never told you about this was because I thought it would bother you. But now that you know, it's only fitting that you're invited. I mean, the celebration _is _because of you, after all. Now let's go!"

Davis pulled out his D-3 and aimed it at the computer. "Digi-Port, open!" he shouted as a white stream of light shot towards the two boys.

"Davis, wait, I don't have my Digi—"

The two boys emerged from a small television in the middle of a frozen tundra in the Digital World. Davis landed in a confident pose with Ken a muffled heap in the snow.

"Ow," Ken let out quietly as he stood and brushed himself off. He wrapped his arms around himself and started rubbing them in a futile effort to keep warm.

"Did you even look at which port you opened? Why are we in the tundra?"

Ken looked over to see Davis running in circles and jumping up and down.

"What on earth are you doing?"

Davis yelled, "I'm exercising to get warm, Ken! Why don't you join me?"

"Davis, will you please calm down for a moment. Please? Davis. Motomiya! Davy!"

At the use of the nickname, Davis quit running around and stood still next to his friend. _I'm going to have to remember to use that name whenever he gets overly excited_, Ken thought to himself.

"What are you smiling about?" Davis asked, quirking his head to the side. _Like a curious little puppy dog_, Ken inwardly giggled.

"Nothing, Davis. Now can you calmly explain to me why we are standing in the middle of the frozen tundra?"

Again rubbing his neck in embarrassment, Davis said, "I forgot to pick which gate I wanted to use. I was too excited. Oh well. At least the cool breeze is refreshing!"

"Not exactly what I would call refreshing, but to each his own. Now can we please go back home and pick a more suitable gate to enter through?"

"Where would be the fun in that?"

"Davis, please," Ken pleaded.

"Fine," Davis huffed. He turned back towards the miniature television screen that the boys had entered through and thrust his D-3 at the screen.

"Digi-Port, open," he half-heartedly mumbled.

Nothing happened.

"Maybe you need to say it louder?" Ken offered in advice.

"Umm, yeah. Digi-Port, open!" Davis yelled as loud as he could.

Again, the television screen remained completely black. Ken didn't say it out loud, but he was starting to become nervous. The ports had always operated cleanly and were very responsive to the voices of any of the DigiDestined.

"Can you try yours?" Davis asked. "Maybe mine is on the fritz or something."

"Davis, I tried to tell you when we were sucked into the Digital World that I didn't have my D-3 with me. You were yet again too hasty."

"Well darn. What should we do? Do you at least have your D-Terminal so we can maybe call Izzy to come fix this stupid gate? Mine is somewhere in the millions of boxes we have in the moving van."

"I don't have mine either. I laid it next to Koba's cage."

"I guess we're stuck here for a while then. Might as well go try to find Veemon and Wormmon while we're here, eh?"

"I guess…" Ken muttered and started following Davis through the frozen wasteland.

If asked why he was shivering like mad, Ken would have given the obvious answer that it was because of the chilliness of the barren tundra. To himself, though, Ken couldn't shake the notion that his chills had another, darker cause.

Behind the two boys, the television containing a gate between the Digital World and the real world started shooting off pure black sparks.


End file.
